Maxie “Max” Wilson Carter
Maxie Wilson Carter, as a boy, didn't fit the stereotype of someone who was a brilliant manager and successful entrepreneur, but he grew to become both.
His humble beginnings, which included seeing his father become a frontline worker on the railroad, saw Max steadily work his way up- ward, finally becoming
the Director or Railways for the State of Oklahoma.
He was a loyal and understanding friend to coworkers and acquaintances alike. Max had the reputation on the job of being “tough but fair.”
Once, after several years of giving an employee repeated chances to perform up to job standards, he called him in to
fire him. This was some thing Max was loathe to do but was pressured by the employee’s ongoing poor performance.
He called “Jim” in to walk with him and said, “Jim, I’m going to have to let you go. Your performance is poor, and after numerous chances to change it just isn’t right.” Jim bristled at that and shot back “Max, you can't fire me! I've got 15 years’ experience here!" Max replied an grily “No Jim, you have ONE year’s experience … FIFTEEN TIMES IN A ROW!"
He didn’t always intend to be funny, but sometimes things just came out that way.
Max had a gift for doing something no one else seemed to: fixing lawn mowers. He started a business on the side doing these repairs. When you brought your mower to him to get fixed, it didn't only get fixed. Most likely he would have you grab a lawn chair and beer out of the garage refrigerator so he could sit and chat with you while he worked. Long before ‘internet marketing’ became a reality, Max already had the formula. He knew people wanted to work with someone they liked and trusted. He knew people wanted a fair price.
He knew people would enjoy the camaraderie and friendly treatment. This simple, lawnmower repair service quickly grew into a profitable business.
Maxie Wilson Carter left a wonderful legacy of countless devoted family and friends.
He is survived by his wife Florence ‘Flo’ Howard of Edmond Oklahoma, his daughter, Kerri Carter of Frisco Texas, Son Kevin Carter of Redondo Beach California, and two grandchildren: Erin and Lauren Carter, also of Redondo Beach, California.
A visitation with the family will be held Saturday, July 13, 2024, from 2:00pm-4:00pm, at Crawford Family Funeral Home in Edmond, OK, for anyone wanting to say goodbye to Max and visit with the family. A private family graveside will follow at the Holdenville Cemetery.